


Ted Tonks and the Seven Dwarves

by CheezLord12



Series: Harry Potter Fairy Tales [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Andromeda is a knight in shining armor, F/M, Forbidden Love, Hunting, Romance, Snow White AU, Ted is Snow White duh, Tedromeda - Freeform, Teds sort of an idiot, We love him anyway, but it’s okay, dumbledore is nb, set in kingdom of Black
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 07:02:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 13,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28541490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheezLord12/pseuds/CheezLord12
Summary: A Snow White AU, or everyone tries desperately to keep Ted alive, but he keeps accepting things from strangers because tHeY sEeMeD sO tRuStWoRtHy.
Relationships: Andromeda Black Tonks/Ted Tonks, Bellatrix Black Lestrange/Rodolphus Lestrange, Hestia Jones/Emmeline Vance
Series: Harry Potter Fairy Tales [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2097393
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	1. The Huntswoman

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: This is riddled with historical inaccuracies. I'm actually not even sure when this is supposed to be set, so if that's very important to you, prepare to be shocked and repulsed.

Andromeda undid her hair hastily as she ran through the long corridor that led into the dining room. She was supposed to be there ten minutes ago for dinner, but she'd lost track of time riding and... oh, her mother would be so angry.

Just before she entered the large room, she stopped to take a breath, steeling herself. Finally, she entered causing the conversation to stop as her family turned to look at her. Her family, along with the servants, of course, though she hardly counted them.

She took a seat at her spot, ignoring her mother's glare to delicately spread the napkin on her lap. "Good evening mother, father." she said deferentially before starting to dig into her dinner.

Almost immediately, the question she'd been dreading came. "Why are you late, Andromeda? Was it the archery nonsense again?"

Andromeda bit her lip, running through her list of excuses. "I—"

Before she could finish, she was cut off by a shriek from beside her. "Fool! Look what you've done!" Bellatrix sprung from her chair looking down at her dress, which was now covered in a large wine stain. "Clumsy idiot! Get out of my sight!"

Andromeda looked up, her eyes seeking out the said clumsy idiot. He was looking at Bellatrix, regret coloring his face. He bowed and backed out of the hall, but not before glancing up at Andromeda and giving her a small wink.

Andromeda's eyebrows shot up as he retreated into the shadows of the room, his fluffy blonde hair glinting as Bellatrix shouted about his incompetence.

Her mother sufficiently distracted, the dinner continued mostly without a hitch, though Druella still sent the occasional glare at Andromeda. 

She was more than pleased when finally, dinner ended, and she was dismissed to her chamber. As she walked down the corridor once more, she saw the servant from earlier. As she passed, he fell into a deep bow, but his lips curved up in a smile, his eyes never leaving her face.

Sure that there was no one else in the corridor, she paused for a moment and sent him the smallest of smiles before hurrying away, leaving him bowing to her receding back.

~

"Oh, Andy! There you are. Come, take a seat."

Andromeda greeted her sister with a kiss to each of her cheeks, taking her seat at Bellatrix's right side. She'd arrived at dinner on time today, and she could see the approval on Druella's face. However, she was quickly distracted when Bellatrix started talking.

"Do you know that nitwit who spilled wine all over my dress last night?" It was clear she'd been bursting to ask this.

"Yes," Andromeda responded, already dreading what Bellatrix would say next.

"Well, I went to the kitchens and told the cook to have him fired, and she refused! She said if he was fired, half of the staff would leave in protest,  _ including her!  _ Apparently, he's some sort of favorite among the rabble." She snorted and leaned back in her chair, looking around at them amusedly.

Andromeda felt relief bloom in her chest though she wasn't quite sure why. For whatever reason, she didn't want him to leave. Probably because he was just a good servant. That's all he was useful for, anyway.

Druella and Cygnus, however, looked concerned. They glanced at each other, then at Bellatrix. "Half the staff, you say?" Cygnus asked, leaning forward, food forgotten.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "Yes, that's what she said. They're utterly replaceable, anyway. It's not as if we'd be inconvenienced for more than a day."

Druella's lips tucked down into the disappointed frown that Andromeda was all too familiar with. "Bellatrix, this is unacceptable."

Bellatrix straightened. "Yes, mother. How dare she speak to me that way?"

Druella  _ tsked,  _ waving a hand. "No, Bellatrix. It is not favorable for a single servant to hold so much power over the rest of the staff. If he wanted, he could spark a mutiny, and we'd all be dead in hours."

Bellatrix's mouth dropped open. "They wouldn't dare—"

"You still have much to learn about being Queen, my daughter." Cygnus interrupted. "Some people do not recognize our superiority and seek to bring themselves to our level."

Bellatrix blinked, her face twisting. "We have to do something about him." she concluded finally, earning a nod from Druella.

"If we have him fired, that could lead to an uprising," Cygnus summarized. "So we must rid ourselves of him some other way. "What are your thoughts, Bellatrix?"

Andromeda had already figured out the answer her parents wanted, but it made her stomach twist in worried knots, so she stayed silent, praying Bellarix wouldn't puzzle it out. Her prayers, however, were not answered.

"He must be killed!" Bellatrix crowed. "But in a way that seems like an accident, so he will not become a martyr."

From beside her, Narcissa gave a small gasp, so quiet that only Andromeda could hear it. 

Executions were common, of course. Murderers and thieves could only be dealt with in one way. But the servant was innocent. He'd broken no laws, hurt no one.

"Andromeda," Druella called, pulling her out of her thoughts. "I propose that you do it. Since you are so intent on acting like a boy, riding and fighting all the time, I'm sure you can hunt down a measly servant."

Andromeda's jaw dropped before she could school her expression. "I—pardon me?"

Cygnus nodded. "I agree. In fact, I will sweeten the deal. This shall be your Ordeal. If you can successfully hunt down this boy and make it look like an accident, you will become a knight."

Andromeda's thoughts started to race. All her life, more than anything, she'd wanted to become a knight, despite being a lady and the princess. Her parents had always forbidden it, so she'd had to settle with spending as much time as she could in the woods, sharpening her skills.

"My Ordeal?" she asked, her hand tightening around her silverware. "I shall become a knight?"

Cygnus glanced at Druella and nodded. "Yes, Andromeda. Bring me his heart, and you shall become a knight of the Kingdom of Black."

~

Her parents had arranged for the servant to be collecting truffles in the woods alone. The woods, which were known for the many fierce beasts that lived there. Andromeda herself had often hunted many of these beasts, and knew firsthand how brutal they could be. It would be a tragic accident when Ted Tonks died by the hand of one of these beasts.

She'd watched him leave the castle an hour earlier, dragging a pig along with him and holding an empty basket in his other hand. She'd decided to give him a head start, considering that she was on horseback and it would be some time before he arrived at the woods.

"I'm going to the plains to ride." she announced loudly in the stables as she collected her horse, making sure the stableboys heard her before she rode in the direction opposite to the woods, clearing her of any suspicion.

Once the castle had disappeared behind her, she turned her horse around, riding in a large circle until, finally, she arrived at the woods.

Her heart raced as she thought about what she was going to do. 

She was going to kill an innocent boy.

She was going to become a knight.

By killing an innocent boy.

So she could become a knight, so she could finally be free.

She shook the thoughts out of her head as she finally picked up his trail, focusing all of her energy on scanning the ground for his footprints. 

The cold winter air sat heavily around her, the towering trees blocking out most of the sunlight. Still, Andromeda's heart pounded happily and a smile spread across her face. She was in her element. She was exactly where she was meant to be, in the woods.

She stopped suddenly when she finally caught sight of Ted. He was crouched on the ground, digging at the base of a tree. Andromeda slid an arrow from her quiver and nocked it, silent as a shadow. She crept forward until there were no trees blocking her. She could make the shot easily.

She pulled back on the bowstring.

All she had to do was release, and he would die. All she had to do was release, and she would be a knight.

She hesitated a moment too long, teetering on a cliff of indecision. Ted gave a triumphant "Yes!" as he finally pulled a truffle from the ground, adding it to his basket. He stood and spun around, freezing when he saw her.

He let out a little gasp and dropped the basket, spilling the truffles across the ground. His eyes were frozen on the tip of her arrow, pointed straight at his chest. 

_ Now!  _ Andromeda's mind shouted at her.  _ Do it now, before he can run! _

She steadied her hand and...

Andromeda remembered the small smile he'd given her, the secretive wink. 

Andromeda lowered her bow and rose out of her crouch. His eyes went wide as he recognized her and he fell into a bow. "Miladay! I did not mean to—"

"I am to kill you." Andromeda's words were raspy and cold, filling the cold air around them.

He froze again, then sagged, seeming to resign himself to his fate.

"As long as I die serving the Kingdom of Black, I shall—" he said nobly, glancing up to meet her eyes.

Andromeda cut him off once more. "The other night, when you spilled wine on Bellatrix. Did you do that to distract the Queen from me?"

He licked his lips and gave a short nod. "You seemed like you needed help, milady. I apologize if I crossed any lines."

Andromeda shook her head. "I am to kill you... yet I cannot."

Hope flickered across Ted's face, but he said nothing, simply watching as she started pacing, kicking at once of the truffles that had fallen to the ground. "You are very popular amongst the palace staff." she said.

He nodded, a crease appearing in brow. "They are my friends, milady. I would not say I am popular..."

_ Kill him.  _ a voice said in her mind.  _ You could shoot him before he even moves.  _ Taking in a deep breath, Andromeda raised her bow and let off a single shot.

Ted flinched as the arrow shot past him and felled the pig within seconds. He looked at her, shock and surprise written all over her face.

"Go." she urged him. "Go, and never return to the Kingdom of Black. I shall return to the castle with the beast's heart as your own, but you must never show your face again."

He stood, frozen. His eyes were as wide as plates, looking straight at her. Andromeda pulled another arrow from her quiver and nocked it, pointing it at him. "Go!" she bellowed, her voice shaking as tears filled her eyes. 

Finally, he moved, scrambling back and running into the deep woods, leaving Andromeda with her arrow pointed at his back.

She worked with a practiced ease, using her knife to carve open the pig and fist out it's heart, blinking rapidly to try to dispel the hot tears in her eyes.

Finally, she wrapped the heart in layers of cloth, mounted her horse, and rode back to the castle, trying to calm the shaking of her hands on the reins.


	2. The Order of The Phoenix

Ted wandered the woods for hours, unable to stop moving.

Her face was seared into his mind, an arrow pulled back to her cheek as indecision rippled across her face.

_ I am to kill you. _

_ I am to kill you... but I cannot. _

Ted shut his eyes, trying to stop seeing her face, stop hearing her voice, but it only became stronger, drowning everything else out. All of a sudden, he was pulled away from his thoughts by a shout.

"You there! Who are you?"

Ted gaped at the man before him, who was standing in a defensive position with a machete pointed at Ted. His skin was a deep black, a sharp contrast to Ted's snow while skin.

"I said, you are you? What are you doing so deep in the woods alone?"

Ted opened his mouth, thoughts racing. Before he knew it, the entire story spilled out, from spilling wine of Princess Bellatrix to Princess Andromeda shooting the pig and telling him to leave.

As he talked the machete man slowly lowered his weapon and others came out of the trees, lowering weapons of their own. Ted realized somewhere in the back of his mind that they had him surrounded.

Finally, he finished his story. The group surrounding him were looking at him with expressions ranging from shock to distrust. Finally, the machete man stepped forward. "What is your name?" he asked.

"Ted," He said quickly. "Ted Tonks."

"Well, Ted. My name is Kingsley." he said. "You sound like you've had quite the ordeal. Come with us, and we can get you some food and warm you up."

Ted thought he saw some of the others shoot him panicked looks, but none of them protested and he was led deeper into the woods until, finally, they reached a clearing with a large cottage. 

As they walked, he was confronted by the youngest of the group, a boy who looked to be about 16. He was vaguely familiar to Ted, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.

"The princess who saved you—that was Princess Andromeda, right?"

Ted nodded. "Yes." he responded hesitantly.

The boy grinned, turning to another boy, who looked the same age as him. "See, I told you she was good!"

A red-haired girl, also their age, chimed in. "She did  _ one _ good thing. She's still a Bla—" she cut off suddenly, glancing at the first boy, who was scowling. "She's still one of them." the girl amended.

Ted realized suddenly where he recognized the boy from. "You're Lord Sirius!" he exclaimed. "But how? You disappeared a year ago!"

Lord Sirius smirked. "Not disappeared, mate. Ran away. And you don't need to call me Lord."

Ted was floored by this development, but he had no time to think about it because the cottage had just appeared in front of them. The first thing that he saw when he entered was an old man with a long silver beard sitting at a central table.

"Ah, Kingsley." he said, looking up. "You're back a—why, who's this?" His piercing blue eyes fixed in on Ted, examining him.

"This is Ted. We found him wandering the woods. Ted, this is Albus Dumbledore. They're our leader."

Ted blinked. "...they're your leader?"

Dumbledore smiled, nodding. "Yes, I am neither a man nor a woman, so you may call me 'they.'"

Ted blinked once more, processing this. "Alright." he said finally, still a little hesitant.

Dumbledore chuckled. "You'll get used to it, son. Now, take a seat and tell me what you were doing wandering around this deep in the woods."

~

As Ted told his story once more, he was given a bowl of soup, which he drained quickly, not realizing how hungry he'd gotten. 

"Well, that's very interesting, Ted." Dumbledore said, pressing their fingertips together. "I can't imagine going through that. You are more than welcome to stay the night here, to rest. In the morning, you may decide what to do."

Ted was suddenly aware of how exhausted he was. He'd been running for hours in the woods with no stops, and the adrenaline was finally starting to wear off. He nodded.

" Very good. You've already met Kinglsey and Sirius." Dumbledore said, waving a hand at them. "This is James—" the other boy waved. "—Lily—" the red-haired girl smiled at him. "―Hestia and Emmeline." the remaining two nodded at him. Hestia was a petite woman with long black hair that fell in a curtain down her back, and Emmeline was a burly, muscled woman with a short bob of brown hair.

_ Seven in all. _ Ted thought, looking at the strange group. 

"We are the Order of the Phoenix." Dumbledore explained later that night as they walked Ted down the hallway that ran through the cottage. "Some call us bandits." Their eyes twinkled merrily. "But we prefer to think of ourselves as keepers of balance, as we only steal from those who deserve it, and only enough to sustain ourselves. Here, you may stay with Kingsley for the night. This is his room."

"What?" Kingsley called. "Why me? Why can't he stay with you, Dumbledore?"

James snickered. "He should stay in Hestia's room. We all know she sleeps with Em anyway."

He was quickly elbowed into silence, but Dumbledore pondered it for a moment. "You're right." They conceded. "Ted, you will stay in Hestia's room. It's that one, over there. I wish you a good rest."

Ted nodded and slipped into the room. He had no clothes to change into, so he simply slid into the bed. The exhaustion took over immediately, and he slipped into a dreamless sleep. 


	3. An Honorable Knight

Andromeda's own heart thudded erratically against her chest as she knelt in front of her parents, letting the cloth unravel and reveal the heart she'd taken from the pig. She heard gasps ripple through the assembled court as they realized what it was.

"As you requested, my lord." she said, keeping her gaze to the ground. "I have completed my Ordeal."

Again, the court gasped as they took in her words. Andromeda resisted the urge to smirk, instead raising her eyes to look at her father, staring him right in the eyes. A moment passed before he spoke, the silence suspended in the air between them.

"So you have." He rose from his throne and pulled out his sword, lightly bringing it down on both of her shoulders.

"Rise, Sir Andromeda, knight of the Kingdom of Black."

There was a stunned pause before the court hastily started to clap, remembering the protocol. Andromeda reveled in it as she slowly got to her feet, unable to keep the corners of her lips from ticking up slightly.

She bowed once, then turned on her heel and strode from the room, finally a knight.

~

Being a knight meant she had some new responsibilities, one of which was training for at least an hour a day. She'd always trained before, of course, but that was always by herself, in the woods or on the plains. She'd never even been to the training fields located next to the castle.

When she arrived there the next day, she could immediately tell she wasn't welcome. The knights watched her as she walked in, pulling her curls into a tight braid that pulled at her scalp. She ignored them, donning her armor, fumbling with the unfamiliar straps.

She heard snickers, but ignored them, focusing only on her armor. Technically, the only requirement for becoming a knight was to complete the Ordeal given to you by the king, but most knights trained together for years in the fields. She was a clear outsider.

Finally, she had it on. It was clunky and awkward and too tight in the chest, but she gritted her teeth and ignored it. She lined up with the others, who were still watching her with animosity, just as the training master arrived.

His face pinched when he saw Andromeda, but he said nothing and moved on. "Welcome to the knighthood." he said, his voice gravelly. "We have three new knights who completed their Ordeal in the last week. Congratulations.”

He paused.

"Today, we will work on sword fighting. We will compete tournament style, and the winner will receive a first pick of armor tomorrow." Andromeda's heartbeat picked up. Her strength was archery, but she was alright at sword fighting as well. Her main weakness was that she'd never dueled any of the knights and had no idea of their fighting styles.

She watched, her finger tapping against her thigh as the first match began, trying to predict what moves would come next. Her heartbeat picked up when the match ended and the training master turned to her. "Sir Lucius Malfoy will battle  _ Sir _ Andromeda Black." Andromeda nodded, feeling relief spread through her.

Lucius Malfoy was weak, she knew this. The only reason he'd made it this far as a knight was because of his high status as a lord.

_ Still. _ her brain warned.  _ Don't get too confident. You never know. _

Malfoy was smirking at her through his helmet, swinging his sword back and forth to warm up. Andromeda did the same, and soon they bowed to each other and they were off, sword against sword. 

Malfoy made the first move, lashing at her side with too little force. His body stiffened in surprise when she blocked him easily and lashed at his side, forcing him to step sideways, off balance. She used his hesitation to knock his sword from his grasp and push him down.

Within seconds, he was disarmed with Andromeda's sword pointed to his neck.

There was a moment of silence, and then the training master announced sourly, _ "Sir _ Andromeda wins."

Unlike with the previous match, there was no applause as Andromeda stepped back and removed her helmet, allowing her opponent to scramble from the ring.

Her next opponent fought lazily. It was apparent he thought her victory against Malfoy was a fluke. She defeated him within seconds as well. It got a little harder as they started to take her seriously and by the time they'd entered the semifinals, Andromeda was drenched in sweat and panting like a dog.

"Sir Corban Yaxley will battle Sir Evan Rosier." Andromeda watched as her cousin battled Yaxley. Seconds in, she could tell Evan would lose. He was almost as exhausted as her, and Yaxley seemed to be filled with energy compared to him. Sure enough, he was down and Andromeda was pitted against Yaxley.

He brought his sword down immediately, giving her no time to prepare and she stumbled aside just in time. He struck again. Andromeda's armour clanked as she dodged again, barely able to move out of the way because of all of the extra weight.

If she could only get out of the heavy armour...

Wait. 

Why couldn't she? This was a battle of the sword, not the sword and armour. As Yaxley swung again, she reached around and undid the straps, making the large chestplate fall off, taking the shoulder pads with it. She kicked it aside. The breeches were still weighing her feet down, but her mobility was highly improved.

Andromeda felt a burst of strength and as Yaxley swung again, she stepped aside and agilely slipped behind him, giving him a push to the back. His momentum, along with Andromeda's help, sent him sprawling to the ground, where Andromeda kicked his sword out of his hand and pointed her sword at his neck.

Yaxley glared up at her, his chest moving up and down rapidly. He started to move, but Andromeda pushed the tip of her sword down a little. She would not be tricked into letting him up before the game was finished.

Keeping a firm grip on her sword, she glanced to the training master. He frowned, then said, "Sir Andromeda forfeits by breaking the rules. Sir Yaxley wins."

Andromeda's jaw dropped and she forgot about Yaxley, who scrambled up. "Forfeit?" she demanded. "What rule did I break?"

"You removed your armour." he wrinkled his nose.

"This is a sword fight." she said stubbornly. "I won by disarming my opponent of his sword."

The training master shook his head. "You broke the rules. A knight is honorable, and today, you were not."

"A knight is also clever." she countered. "And I was. The armour was more of a hindrance than a help, so I discarded it."

"Listen, princess." he snarled. "You may have gotten into the knights with your fathers favor, but that does not mean that I will treat you any differently than my other knights. You do not belong here."

He strode off, leaving Andromeda gaping behind him, alone in the training field.


	4. An Excellent Cook

When Ted woke up, sunlight was streaming through the window, covering nearly the entire room. He yawned and walked out of the room. The Order was already clustered at a table, bowls of porridge on the table in front of them.

Sirius was the first to see him, and he smiled before saying, "Good morning, Ted!"

"Good morning." Ted replied.

"Here, come have some porridge." He held up a spoonful and put it in his mouth. He spat it out almost immediately. "I take it back. Don't eat this, it's terrible. We never should've let Lily make breakfast."

"Hey!" Lily exclaimed. "I'm sure it's not that bad!" She took a spoonful and her eyes went wide. She blinked back tears as she swallowed it down. "See?" she asked. "Delicious." her voice broke as she said it.

Mostly on instinct, Ted leaned forward and used his pinkie to scoop some out of the bowl and dab it on his tongue. He glanced into the kitchen, where cooking supplies were strewn about willy-nilly. He quickly gathered a few ingredients. Some fruit would have been nice as well, but he'd have to make do. 

After mixing in his ingredients, he pushed the bowl back to Lily. "I can't do anything about the lumps, but this should make it taste better. She nodded, dipping her spoon in once more and tasting it. At once, a dreamy look came over her face. "It's wonderful!" she crowed. "How did you do that?"

Ted shrugged. "I used to work in the kitchens."

Lily pushed her bowl across the table and everyone else sampled from it, looking equally delighted at the taste. Even Emmeline gave a small smile in Ted's direction. 

After making the modifications to everyone else's breakfast as well, Ted finally sat down and dug into his own bowl of porridge.

As he finished off, he pushed away from the table and stood. "Thank you so much for your hospitality." he said. "But I should be on my way now."

"No!" Sirius blurted, gripping his bowl tightly. "Please, I haven't had edible food in a year. Lily is our  _ best _ cook, and you've tasted her food."

Ted smiled slightly at his plea, and he let out a chuckle. "I'm sure the situation isn't that grave." he said. "You just need some practice, that's all."

James and Lily both chimed in, informing him that he was incorrect, but they fell silent when Dumbledore raised a hand. "While Sirius' intentions are not the most noble, I agree with him. You need a safe place, away from the Kingdom of Black. No one has ventured this deep in the woods in years, so you'd be well protected. I'm sure we'd be willing to provide you a place to stay and our protection in exchange for you cooking and cleaning for us." They looked around at the rest of the Order, who all nodded their agreement.

Ted blinked, taken aback. "I... are you sure?"

"Yes." Sirius and James said at once. Dumbledore nodded.

"Well, I... I would love to." Ted managed to say, feeling a warmth spread in his chest at their wide smiles.

"Good." Kingsley declared. "In that case, you'd better get started with lunch. We have a chicken marinating, but there's a chance it's gone bad. None of us is really sure how to tell."

~

They'd told him that there were various herbs growing in the woods, but that none of them knew what any one of them were called. After giving him a warning not to stray too far lest he wander into a more traveled part of the woods, they gave him a basket and sent him on his way.

He sniffed a spring of thyme, adding it to his basket. It would go well with the dinner he had planned for the night.

He spent another hour wandering around, making sure to never stray more than 100 paces from the cottage, picking up all of the herbs he found and mentally marking the places they grew more abundantly. 

Suddenly, he heard a familiar sound in the distance, getting louder rapidly. Before he could react, a horse burst out of the thick trees, shuddering to a stop as the rider spotted him. He looked up, taking in the panting, exhausted rider.

"Andromeda?"


	5. A Chance Encounter

Of all the people she could run into, it had to be him. She glanced around just in case as he hastily corrected himself. "I mean—Princess Andromeda! What are you doing here?"

Andromeda slid off her horse, the last few hours blurring in her mind. After her disaster first day of training, she'd been filled with rage. Instead of taking it out on a servant, like Bellatrix, or destroying someone's reputation, like Narcissa, she'd gone for a ride to let off steam, just pointing her horse to the woods and  _ going. _

"I was going for a ride." she said simply. "And there is no need to call me princess. Andromeda is fine."

He nodded simply in response. There was a short pause before he spoke again. "Did... did they believe you?"

"Yes, they did. They gave me knighthood." she said, feeling a spark of pride.

His eyes widened and he glanced up. "Knighthood? Congratulations, Mila—Andromeda!"

He seemed to actually be sincere, not like all her other well-wishers, who were mostly scandalized by her. "Yes," she sighed. "Well, perhaps it is not all I hoped for. And you? What are you still doing in the Kingdom of Black?"

He scuffed the dirt with the toe of his boot, glancing behind himself to the woods. "I live here now, in the woods. Nobody ever ventures in this deep." he seemed to realize he was talking to someone who had, in fact, ventured in this deep, and bit his lip.

"Almost no one ever ventures in this deep." he amended.

Andromeda had to admit it was clever. This was the first time she'd been in this deep, and she spent all the time she could get in the woods. Still, she could tell there was something else he wasn't saying, something to do with why he kept glancing behind himself.

It wasn't any of her business. The less she knew about him, the better. Keeping the thought in her mind, she mounted her horse and picked up the reins. As she steered herself around and back the way she'd come, she turned, yelling over her shoulder, "Be careful!"

~

Andromeda arrived at the castle at sunset, returning her poor, worn out, horse to the stables before making her way to the throne room. She intended to join the court and see if she could watch any of the proceedings before it ended for the day, but she stopped short when she heard her name.

"—fear that Andromeda has lied to us." She recognized her mothers voice.

"What do you mean?" Her father asked.

"It was a pig's heart that she presented to us, not a human’s. She did not kill the boy."

Andromeda's heartbeat quickened as she pressed herself to the wall. It sounded like court had already ended for the day, and only the King and Queen remained in the throne room, discussing private matters. 

Discussing her.

Cygnus cursed, his shoes squeaking against the marble floor. Andromeda risked peeking through the crack in the doors to see he was pacing in front of his throne while Druella lounged in hers. "I knew she would be unable to do it. Instead of admitting her failure, she lied to us."

Andromeda released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. They didn't suspect her of letting him run free, only of being unable to capture him.

"I know," Druella responded. "But we cannot revoke her knighthood. The people would think us weak. She will have to remain a knight. She placed second in training today. Perhaps she will be able to hold her own."

Cygnus sighed. "Very well, Druella. She will remain a knight. However, we still need to—"

"Andy, there you are!" Andromeda startled as Narcissa's voice cut through the conversation. She turned and greeted her sister with a tight smile. "Oh, court ended hours ago." Narcissa said quickly when she saw where Andromeda was standing. "I think mother and father are still inside the throne room."

Striding forward, Narcissa pushed open the heavy door, smiling at their parents. They turned, cutting off their conversation. All Andromeda heard before they stopped talking was Druella promising "I'll take care of it," her eyes glinting dangerously.

She plastered a smile on her face to match Narcissa's, and they all sat in their thrones, conversing about the day's proceedings, though Andromeda did not miss the looks that her parents traded when they thought she wasn't paying attention.

Whatever Druella was going to take care of, it wasn't good.


	6. The Belt

"Ted, I think I love you." James grinned as he bit into his lunch, some juice dribbling down his chin.

Ted grinned as Lily glared, staring down into his own food. "It's just—"

"It's not  _ just _ anything." Hestia interrupted. "It's fabulous. I don't know how we survived before you."

"It's only been a day." Ted tried.

"The best day of my life." James interjected. "I'll never eat anything better than this."

Ted pursed his lips against the smile and focused on eating his own dinner. He didn't think it was anything special, but apparently the Order was so incredibly deprived of good food that they found his cooking world class.

Everyone finished their meals quickly, looking fully sated as they pulled on their cloaks and boots, preparing to go out.

"Alright," Kingsley informed Ted. "We're going to go do a job." Ted knew that by  _ job _ , Kinglsey meant that they were going to break into someone's house and steal their valuables, but he figured that was too much of a mouthful. "We'll be back by sunset at the very latest. Remember, if anyone knocks on the door, pretend you're not here and wait for them to go away. It's not likely that anyone will come near, but I thought I heard a horse yesterday."

Ted tried to keep his face neutral. He hadn't told the Order about seeing Andromeda. He wasn't really sure why, but he wanted to keep that to himself. Keep her to himself. 

Looking at Kingsley, he nodded. "If you bring back berries, I can make us a pie."

Emmeline was at his side at once. "A pie?" she asked.

Ted nodded. "My best is blueberry, but I can do any berry well enough, and cherries if you can find them."

Emmeline looked to Dumbledore, who nodded. "We shall get you your berries." they grandly.

The rest of the order smiled, their energy level doubled. Apparently the Order were big fans of pie. Ted filed the thought away in case he ever needed it, waving goodbye to them as they disappeared into the dense woods.

Ted sighed as he surveyed the cottage. How had they managed to make such a small space so dirty?

~

They'd been gone for two hours when the knock came at the door. Ted froze, remembering Kingsley's warning. He ducked and peeked out the window, taking in an old woman, bent with age, carrying a large knapsack. Even if she were there to hurt him, Ted doubted she would have been able to, especially not with the weight of the sack crushing her.

Keeping that in mind, he swung the door open. The old woman smiled up at him, hobbling forward. "Good evening, lad. I've come to peddle my wares, if you please." She slung the knapsack off her bag and opened it up, revealing...

Belts?

Belts on belts on belts, nestled in one another. The bag was bursting with them.

Ted looked down at his pants, which were held together with a drawstring. "Thank you, miss. But I'm afraid I don't need a belt. I don't think I'd be able to afford something of such fine craftsmanship." He added the last part mostly to be nice, but the old woman smiled.

"Nonsense! Everyone needs a belt. You can have one for free, for being such a nice lad. Let me just measure your waist." she replied.

Before he could react, she'd whipped out a belt and wrapped it around his waist, cinching it from behind. Ted felt his stomach compress, and his lungs struggled to take in air. "That's... a bit tight." he managed to gasp out.

"Oh, is it?" she asked. "Let me fix that!" The woman squeezed the belt tighter, and Ted's knees buckled as he fell to the ground, the world going black.

~

"Ted!" Ted woke up, his midsection throbbing sorely. He gasped in breaths as he took in that he was lying on the ground, the Order hovering over him. Closest to him was Hestia, who was holding a knife above him. Ted squeaked and moved away from her.

She put the knife away quickly, patting him soothingly. "Whoa, there. I was just cutting off the belt. You're okay."

Ted nodded, his breathing finally evening out enough for him to speak. "What happened?"

Dumbledore helped him up, setting him down on a chair. "We found you here, with a belt around your waist. You were barely breathing." They explained.

Slowly, it started coming back to Ted. He groaned and dropped his head into his hands. "Belt saleswoman?" he muttered. "What kind of idiot believes that?"

"Belt... saleswoman?" Hestia asked. "What?"

Ted explained the story, squirming slightly as Kinglsey glared at him. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have let her in, she just seemed so harmless."

James snorted. "It's fine, Ted. Kingsley's just paranoid. We've all done stupid things. Like that time with the candy house,  _ right Kinglsey?" _ he stared pointedly at Kingsley. Kingsley rolled his eyes, but his gaze to Ted softened.

"We're just glad you're okay, Ted." Lily assured. 

"And!" Hestia chimed in. "We bought blueberries!" 

Ted couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, and he stood. "Well, I should get to work then. What time do you want to eat?"

They all looked at each other, then back at Ted. "As soon as possible would be nice." Sirius said.


	7. War Games

Her third day of training was even more of a disaster than her first. "War games," the training master explained. "Are a good way for knights to practice being in an actual battle. They also foster companionship and brotherhood—" he glared at Andromeda. "—among knights. You will split into two teams, one attacking and one defending. If the attacking team manages to breach the defending teams defenses by the end of the hour, they win. If the defending team manages to keep their defenses intact, they win. Any questions?"

Andromeda was assigned to the attacking team, led by "general" Evan Rosier. "Alright," he announced. "It looks like they're going with a snake defense, so we're going to have to go with a leopard attack pattern. You two, you form the head. You five, the legs. And you three, along with myself will be the arms."

Andromeda crossed her arms. "And me?"

Evan looked at her, surprised. Then, he smirked. "You can stay here and keep the fire going, honey." he drawled. "We'll need someone to cheer us on."

"Isn't that what Malfoy is for?" she snapped back. "I'm more than capable of fighting."

There were a few  _ ooooh's,  _ but Evan just rolled his eyes. "Fine, woman. You can be in the legs. Are you happy now?"

The legs were the easiest position in the leopard attack pattern, and there were already five others, but Andromeda could tell she'd pushed her luck as far as it would go, so she sighed. "Ecstatic." she replied, unsheathing her sword.

Fifty minutes in, things were not going great. The defenders had taken out a third of their team, and Evan was becoming more and more flustered. "Andromeda, keep on holding the left flank!" he yelled, temporarily forgetting his contempt for her.

Andromeda sighed but followed his instructions. Suddenly, she noticed something. A weakness in the defense. The defenders had neglected to properly protect their center, leaving just enough space for someone to slip through and capture their land.

"Look!" she pointed it out to Evan. "I can make it, there's a weakness there."

"No!" he yelled back. "Keep protecting the left flank!" His face was dangerously flushed, and spittle flew from his mouth as he spoke.

"I can make it!" she insisted.

"Stay where you are!" he roared back. 

If they were going to win, she realized, she was going to have to take matters into her own hands.

Cursing, she abandoned the left flank and ran for the center of the defense, ducking between the two knights protecting it, making them run into each other. She spun around, taking out two more knights. She ran forward and snatched the flag from the ground, winning the game in a single swoop.

~

"—cannot disregard the orders of your commanding officer, no matter your  _ personal thoughts _ about the situation."

"I realize that, sir," she tried to stay calm, keep her voice steady. "But the weakness was easy to—"

"It doesn't matter where the weakness was, Sir Rosier told you not to abandon your post and you did!" he barked back.

"Sir Rosier's plan was failing!" she screamed back, finally losing control of her temper. "If I'd followed him, we would have lost!"

The training master straightened. "Now don't get all emotional. I can't talk to you if you're being irrational."

Emotional? She was the emotional one? He'd done nothing but scream and bark and shout at her, and she raised her voice once, and  _ she _ was emotional? 

The training master was still glaring at her with that stupid, patronizing, look. Using every ounce of self-control she had, Andromeda turned on her heel and strode away, leaving him behind.

~

Miraculously, Ted was in the same place as the last time, grimacing as he bent down to pluck a plant from the ground. "Are you hurt?" she asked. He startled and spun around, blinking in surprise. 

"Andromeda! Ah—yes, actually." he lifted his shirt to reveal a ring of bruises wrapping around his midsection. Andromeda wrinkled her nose and he dropped his shirt. "I had an unpleasant run in with a belt saleswoman yesterday. She tried to kill me."

Andromeda blinked at the ease which he said it with. "A... what?"

He chuckled, leaning on a tree as he explained the story. She noticed that he skirted around the details of how, exactly, he'd gotten the belt off, but she was quickly distracted when she realized something. "I think that old woman might've been my mother. She figured out the heart was a pig's heart, and I overheard her say she was going to  _ take care of something.''  _ she said cautiously.

"What? No, she looked very different." Ted dismissed.

Andromeda shook her head. "My mother is very skilled with disguises and makeup. She can look like anyone, given enough time. I should've known, I've just been so distracted with knight training." She couldn't keep the venom from her voice as she thought about the disaster that was knight training.

Ted did not miss this. "Are you having trouble training?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing together.

She groaned, and before she knew it, the entire story was spilling from her mouth. The training master's clear hatred for her, the misogynistic attitude the entire order held, how she had to work twice as hard as them all, but still be overlooked.

When she finally stopped ranting, Ted hesitated for a moment before responding. "Forgive me, but perhaps... knighthood is not for you."

Andromeda tensed, glaring at him. "Oh, don't tell me you're like them too. I can fight just as well as any man, may I remind you that I could've killed  _ you—" _

"No!" he exclaimed. "No, not because you are a woman. Forgive me, that came out wrong. I meant... perhaps you are not made to be knight. Perhaps you are made to be a hunter, or a rouge, someone who does not have so many rules upon them."

Andromeda froze, her response stilling on her tongue. All her life, the goal, the unattainable achievement, was to become a knight. She'd never thought of being anything else, or that she wasn't made to be a knight. 

But...

No, this couldn't be right. "No." she said. "I am a knight." she mounted her horse, trying to ignore the doubts springing up in her mind. "I am a knight." she called out to him once more as she rode off.


	8. A Favor

A week passed, and Ted's bruises faded into yellow spots. He continued cooking and cleaning for the Order, finding that he didn't mind this simple, quiet existence. Every day, they would return with a new bounty, eagerly showing off the exotic spices and ingredients they'd managed to get for him.

Still, there was one thing missing. 

It came riding into his neck of the woods at noon, carrying a bow and a quiverfull of arrows.

Ted resisted the urge to bow, watching as she slid off the horse. She nodded to him. "I am sorry for running away so suddenly. I was—taken aback by your suggestion."

"Of course. I apologize for—" he started.

"No." she interrupted. "It was good of you to tell me that. It was what I needed to hear." she inhaled. "In return, I wish to do something for you. I'm afraid I'm no good at giving advice, but there is something else I'm skilled at."

She slung her bow off her shoulder, nocking an arrow. "Which animal do you wish to feast on?"

~

She returned again, holding another rabbit carcass. She set it next to him, then collapsed onto the dirt ground next to him. "My last arrow." she explained, crossing her legs. "I hope this is enough meat for you."

Ted glanced at the pile of dead rabbits in front of him, counting seven in total. Even with the other Order members, it was probably too much. He realized that he should probably start skinning them if he wanted them to be prepared in time for dinner, so he picked one up, snapping the arrow in half before sliding it out.

Andromeda followed suit, skinning the rabbit with a practiced ease. They fell into an easy silence soon, letting the sounds of the woods envelop them. "How long have you been hunting for?" Ted asked finally, breaking the serene silence.

Andromeda smiled slightly. "Since I was seven. My Uncle Alphard taught us all, even the girls. I was the only one really interested. Well, me and Sirius... but he's probably dead now."

Ted knew for a fact that this was false, but he remained silent, letting her continue.

"He said I was the most skilled archer he'd ever met. I know he was probably just being nice but..." she trailed off with a smile. "I started to become interested in all types of sport. Swordsmanship, riding, mace-wielding, all of it. My parents were mostly focused on making sure Bella would be fit to rule one day, so I was able to sneak away often and get better and better."

Her eyes seemed to cloud over and she stared into the woods, no doubt lost in memory. She flinched, snapping out of it when they both reached for the same rabbit carcass, their hands brushing. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "You take it."

"No," Ted said. "I insist. You go ahead."

"Oh, alright." she conceded, taking it and starting to peel off the skin. Finally, all the rabbits were skinned, and the sun had started to dip toward the horizon. 

Andromeda stood wiping her bloody hands off. "I should go." she said. 

Ted stood as well, walking with her to her horse, tied to a nearby tree. "Will... will I see you again?" he asked, squeezing his hands tightly behind his back.

She smiled down at him, swinging herself onto her horse easily. "I shall try to escape training again." she promised. "Good luck in consuming all of that rabbit."

"Good luck in escaping training!" he called after her as she spurred her horse forward, the wind catching then stray hairs that had escaped her braid and blowing them from her face.

"Thank you!" she called, waving as she disappeared into the woods.

~

"Where on earth did you get this many rabbits?" Kingsley asked, staring wide-eyed at the spread Ted had prepared. After Andromeda had left, he'd taken the rabbits to the cottage and started cooking. He wasn't sure if he should tell her about the cottage, about the Order, so he'd simply avoided the topic so far.

"I have my ways." Ted went for a mysterious shrug, though judging by the laughter it sparked, it didn't have the intended effect.

"Are these... arrow holes?" Hestia asked, examining the rabbits. "How did you get arrows?"

"Oh, no." Ted supplied quickly. "I made those holes. It's called scoring... for the flavor to soak in." He crossed his fingers behind his back, hoping none of them knew what scoring actually was.

"Hm." Sirius said. "That sounds right." Then, with no further qualms, he tore off a piece of rabbit and started eating.

Ted released a breath, uncrossing his fingers. He was sure that his two worlds would collide at some point, but until then, he would keep them as far apart as he could.


	9. A Winter’s Ball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hamilton reference in the title? Check.

A maid yanked at the laces of Andromeda's corset, trapping her in the heavy, constricting red dress. She bit down on her lip, but said nothing, remembering her mother's warning to behave.

Another maid ran a brush through Andromeda's hair, carefully ridding it of tangles. Finally, they stepped away from her and curtsied, announcing that they were done.

"Thank you. You are dismissed." Andromeda said, looking herself over in the mirror. She looked proper, refined. She looked... all wrong. Pushing back the urge to undo the laces and run from the room, Andromeda straightened her spine, and walked out of her chambers and to the ballroom.

"Presenting, Princess Andromeda Black!" A trumpet rang out as Andromeda was admitted into the crowded ballroom, hiking her skirts slightly to climb down the stairs. Almost immediately, she was approached by none other than Corban Yaxley. "May I have this dance, milady?" he asked, eyes fixed firmly on her chest.

Her mother's warning ringing in her head, Andromeda smiled and accepted, letting him pull her onto the dance floor and lead her in a dance. She saw her mother give an approving nod to her before being spun away.

"You look beautiful now that you've taken the armour off." he murmured to her.

"And you look... exactly the same." She smiled and batted her lashes. Thankfully Yaxley was too daft to catch on to her real meaning, and he smiled proudly.

"I hear this ball is to help you choose a husband." Yaxley said suddenly, with no subtlety at all.

Andromeda stiffened, resisting the urge to scowl. It would make sense... especially with how adamant her mother had been that Andromeda behave. "It's for Bellatrix, actually. I am just another guest." she replied finally.

Yaxley glanced to where Bellatrix was dancing with Rodolphus Lestrange, the two of them whispering to each other with bent heads. "Everyone knows she's promised to Lestrange." he said.

All Andromeda did was give a small hum in response, and they spent the rest of the dance in an icy silence, letting the music fill the air between them.

Finally,  _ finally, _ they seperated, but before Andromeda could so much as catch her breath, she was asked to dance by Rabastan Lestrange. After him, another dance. And another, and another, and another. By the time dinner was served, Andromeda's feet felt like lead weights, and her bodice seemed to be intent on making it impossible to breathe.

She lowered herself onto the seat at her family's table, glad no Lord would be able to accost her here. "Andromeda," her mother greeted. 

"Good evening, mother." Andromeda responded, turning her eyes to her plate and starting to cut up her food. She wasn't sure that she would be able to eat with the tight dress, but it gave her something to do as Druella looked her up and down.

"Bellatrix, have you chosen a suitor that you find most to your liking?" Cygnus asked.

Bellatrix preened under the attention, pretending to ponder for a moment. "Yes, father. Lord Rodolphus Lestrange has asked me to be his wife, and I have accepted."

It was a good thing that Andromeda hadn't been eating, otherwise she might've choked on her food. 

Druella, however, looked ecstatic. Well, as ecstatic as her mother ever looked. "Well done, Bellatrix. He will make a good king. It is a good match. We shall announce it at the evening's end."

There was a pause.

"And you, Andromeda? I saw that you danced with many fine lords. Did any of them catch your eye? For the future, of course." Druella and Cygnus peered at her while Bellatrix glowered, angry at being deprived the spotlight.

"This is Bellatrix's night." Andromeda said diplomatically. "I don't wish to take it from her. I am sure there will be many other opportunities for myself."

She looked back down at her food, feeling Bellatrix's glare lessen. The conversation turned to wedding preparations, and Andromeda mostly tuned out, only pretending to listen. 

All she could think as she listened to Narcissa prattle on about flower arrangements was that she wished she were anywhere else. No, that was wrong. She wished she were in the woods, talking to Ted. Everything was better under the trees, in the cool air.

Everything was better where Ted was.


	10. Interlude

_ "There has been no report of a dead body found in the woods." _

_ "Perhaps no one has found him. He was very secluded, according to you." _

_ "He could not have built that cottage himself. Mark my words, someone else was staying with him. They would have found him." _

_ "Are you suggesting that he is alive?" _

_ "It is a possibility. I shall have to check once more." _

_ "Make sure you are not recognized, Druella." _

_ "Do not worry, husband. I know what I am doing. The boy will be dead by sunset tomorrow." _


	11. The Comb

"—and don't let  _ anyone _ in." Kingsley finished off his speech, looking at Ted seriously. 

Ted nodded, touching his waist. The bruises had mostly faded, and were no longer painful to the touch, but there were still there, and bending over was still painful. "I know, trust me. I have learned my lesson about opening the door."

Hestia, from the other side of the clearing yelled, "Come on, Kingsley. Stop babying Ted and let's go!"

Kingsley scowled, giving Ted one last look before stalking away, leaving him alone at the cottage.

Ted shivered, wondering why Kingsley was so wary of strangers anyway.

~

_ Knock, knock.  _

Ted froze, his hand stilling on his broom. Another knock came at the door, followed by a man's deep voice. "Hello? Is anyone home?"

Another pause. "I've come to sell my combs."

Ted's shoulders dropped and he peered out the window. The man was short, with a large belly. He carried in front of him a display case, full of combs. There were all types, from delicate silver ones that looked like they belonged in a museum, to old broken ones with missing tines and hairs still tangled in them.

He looked harmless. Then again, so had the woman...

"I'm sorry, I'm not to let anyone in." Ted told the man through the door. "I wish I could buy something from you, but I'm forbidden. Perhaps if you came back later?"

The man shook his head. "I'm only passing through, I'm afraid. It would be a shame to deprive such lovely hair of a comb." He thought for a moment, then his face brightened. "I don't have to come in! I could just pass you a comb through the window if you crack it open a bit. It's not as if I could fit through the window anyway!" 

He laughed jovially, patting his stomach, which jiggled wildly.

This seemed reasonable enough to Ted, so he opened the window the slightest bit. "How much for a comb? Not one of the fancy ones, mind you."

The man nodded, then plucked one off his display, a wooden one painted red. "I think this one suits you. It's two copper pieces, but I'd be willing to sell it for some bread and cheese."

Ted did not have any copper pieces, and he didn't want to take from the Order's stash. He did, however, have some leftover bread from the morning, along with cheese. He turned and quickly fetched it from the kitchen.

"Will this do?" he asked, holding it up.

The man nodded excitedly, sliding the comb through the window. Ted gave him the bread and cheese and started to turn away, expecting the man to do the same. However, he remained at the window, looking at Ted. "Try it out," he urged. Had his voice been deeper before? "See how it runs through your hair. It may be blunt, so you will have to push hard."

The tiny wooden tines looked very sharp to Ted, but he complied, pressing the comb into his scalp. At once, the sharp spikes pierced his scalp and a dull sensation started to spread through his head. "I think... I pushed... too..." before he could get out the last word, the world lurched in front of him and he fell to the ground, the comb still stuck in his head, the dull sensation slowly starting to spread through his body.

The last thing he managed to register was the man's voice, now much higher. "Finally."

~

His head felt like it was stuffed full of cotton when he finally came to. He blinked and sputtered as cold water ran down his face, dripping into his eyes.

"Oh," a voice came from over him. "You're awake. Are you alright?"

Ted's mouth felt like sandpaper, but he managed to speak. "I... yes. I think so."

"Good." He realized it was Lily speaking just before a hand whapped his head. "You idiot! How did you get your hands on a poisoned comb? We told you not to let anyone in!"

Ted felt a spike of pain in his head. "Ouch." he muttered, raising a hand to his head.

"Sorry," Lily said softly. "I didn't mean to hit you there."

Ted shook it off, slowly sitting up. He realized he was lying on the floor of the cottage, a puddle of water around him. "The comb... was poisoned?" he asked, probing around for the area where the tines had pierced his scalp.

"Yes, but we took it out and tried to wash out all of the poison. Hopefully, you'll survive." This was Dumbledore.

Ted nodded, but stopped when it sent a wave of nausea over his head. "Thank you. Sorry I almost died again." he said sheepishly. "Though, technically I didn't actually let anyone in."

"You went  _ out?"  _ Kingsley demanded, looking at Ted with alarm.

"No, I told the man to pass it to me through the window." Ted corrected. Kingsley groaned, but Lily laughed, helping Ted stumble to his feet. He blinked and startled when he caught a look of himself in the window. "What on—" he exclaimed, running his fingers through his hair. A large patch of it, nearly the entire left side, was midnight black, a sharp contrast to the corn-yellow it had been before.

"Yeah, we think that the poison probably killed your hair." James said candidly.

"Whoa." Ted said simply, squinting at his new hair.

"Don't worry, it'll probably grow out." Sirius reassured.

"His hair isn't important," Kingsley reminded. "What's important is that he almost died again." He glared at Ted, but Ted could see that he was more worried than angry.

"You're right." Ted said. "I should probably leave. I'm sorry for causing all this trouble." Guilt welled up in him. The Order had been so kind to him, and how did he repay them? By continually disobeying their orders. It was stupid to think he could have lived in peace.

"No!" Hestia exclaimed. "Don't go! Where would you go?"

"I don't know." Ted said. "But I can't stay here and keep putting you in danger."

"Ted, listen." Kingsley stepped forward. "Don't go. So what if you made some mistakes? You learned your lesson, and now you'll be more careful. But don't go. We need you."

Ted blinked in surprise. Needed him? All he'd done was be a burden to them, cause trouble. "No really," he tried. "I'd be no help to you if I just stayed inside all day. I have to pick herbs, collect firewood. I can't—"

Emmeline, of all people, interrupted him. "We'll teach you to use a dagger, so you can defend yourself. We have plenty of extra lying around." Ted knew this was true, he'd polished and organized them yesterday. "You'd never be able to make it on your own." she concluded, brutally honest. "Stay here, and we'll protect you."

Ted sighed, looking at all of their earnest faces. "Fine." he said. "I'll stay."


	12. A Conversation on the Matter of Marriage

As she rode into the clearing, Ted whirled around and pulled out a knife, pointing it at her. At least, he tried to. He pulled it out with too much vigour and it sailed from his hand and landed in the soft dirt, sinking in.

He sucked some air in between his teeth, looking regretfully down at it. "Whoops."

Andromeda had only half noticed this, as her attention was elsewhere. "Your hair!" she exclaimed, pointing at the dark patch that covered nearly the entire left side of his head.

"Oh, yes." Ted raised a hand to it before leaning over and pulling the dagger from the ground. "I had another run in with your mother, I think."

Andromeda slipped off the horse and they sat on a log next to each other as he explained what had happened. Andromeda could tell he was lying about the part where the comb fell out and he washed the poison out of his hair. Someone else must have helped him, but it wasn't her business to ask who.

"How did she know you survived?" Andromeda asked, her leg bouncing up and down as it did when she was lost in thought. Ted shrugged, slowly sheathing his dagger again, fumbling before managing to slide it in. He slowly pressed a finger to her knee, forcing her leg to a stop.

"Sorry," he muttered, quickly moving his hand. 

Andromeda waved him off, trying to ignore the sparking sensation running up her leg. They sat in silence for another moment, before Andromeda gave up, figuring her mother must have resources she didn't know about.

"How was training?" he asked after another moment of silence.

Andromeda shook her head. "There was none today. The kingdom is in celebration. My sister... is engaged."

Ted looked confused at the bitterness in her voice. "Congratulations?'' He tried cautiously.

Andromeda laughed at his perplexed expression. "It is good news." she assured. "I do not like her husband-to-be much, but it is a good match. I'm only unhappy because this means that my parents will focus all of their attention on getting me married next."

"You do not wish to marry?" he asked, meeting her gaze. She felt her entire body freeze as she realized how close they were, close enough for her to make out his eyes, which had been turned into a honey color by the sunlight washing over his face. She tried to remember his question.

"I do not wish to marry any of the lords." she corrected softly. 

He nodded.

She nodded.

Andromeda felt him lean toward her, slowly closing the gap between them. Their lips were about to brush...

"Ted! Are you still collecting herbs?"

The moment broke, and Andromeda felt the word rush back to her as she leaned back, her gaze dropping.

Ted blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's... the person I'm staying with. I'm afraid I haven't been completely honest with you."

Andromeda smiled, finding his abashedness endearing. "I know."

"Really?" he asked.

"The comb just fell out?" she questioned. "You're sort of a terrible liar, Ted."

Ted blushed harder, dropping his gaze. "I have to go. I haven't told them about you."

Andromeda nodded, standing up and brushing the twigs from her legs. "Of course. I'll see you later." she promised.

He hesitated slightly, then nodded. "I'll see you later." He turned around, starting to walk away, but he turned when Andromeda called out to him.

"Ted!"

"Yes?" he asked eagerly.

She stepped forward, took his face into her hands, and kissed him. 

He froze, then kissed her back, melting into her. She broke away with a small gasp, grinning at the dazed look on his face. "Goodbye." she whispered fondly before turning and mounting her horse in a single swift movement, leaving Ted in the clearing, gaping at her.


	13. Forbidden Love

"There you are! I thought you had done something stupid, like run away." Hestia clapped him on the back as he arrived back to the cottage, his basket only half-filled with herbs.

It had taken all of his brainpower for him to snap out of his daze and trudge away from where Andromeda had left him. 

From where Andromeda left him after...

_ After kissing him. _

"Ted. Ted?" Ted blinked rapidly, trying to pay attention to Dumbledore, who was waving their hand in front of Ted's face. "Are you feeling quite alright? You look flushed."

Ted shook his head. "No, I'm fine. I was just distracted, sorry. What were you saying?"

Dumbledore frowned, but continued speaking. "I was asking if anyone had been by the cottage."

Ted shook his head. "No, no one has been by today."

"Alright..." Dumbledore said, still looking at Ted with a peculiar look on their face. "Let's go inside, it's getting rather cold."

Ted nodded, following them into the cottage, practically floating with joy. "Dinner will be ready in about an hour." he announced, making his way to the kitchen. 

~

Over dinner, Hestia regaled Ted with a tale of their adventures that day. "So, we waited out on the road, and this carriage rolled by, so we jumped on it, right?"

Ted nodded, only half-listening.

"Then, we open it up, and you'll  _ never _ believe what was in there!" she stared at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked, smiling.

Before she could say, Sirius interrupted her. "Some lord,  _ snogging _ a stablegirl!"

Ted's jaw dropped as Hestia whipped around, glaring at Sirius. "I was telling the story!" she yelled.

"You were telling it wrong," Sirius said simply, shrugging and leaning back. "I had to jump in."

"Isn't it romantic?" James interrupted. "Forbidden love..." he stared dreamily into space.

Lily shook her head. "Forbidden love is stupid. It always ends badly."

"What?" James asked. "No, that's hogwash. See, forbidden love is more potent, more prominent than regular old unforbidden love. It burns more brightly!"

Hestia snorted. "Lily's right. It always ends badly. They're discovered and separated, and possibly even killed."

"No!" Emmeline interjected, drawing surprised looks. 

"Emmeline..." Kingsley asked slowly. "You're a fan of forbidden love?"

Emmeline dropped her gaze. "No." she said quickly. "I was just... ah..."

Hestia smiled fondly at her. "Oh, Emmeline only pretends to be all tough. She's actually a big softie."

"No, I'm not!" Emmeline exclaimed loudly. "I don't like forbidden love. It's...ugh! And...ew!"

The Order burst into laughter at her attempt to seem more tough, watching as Emmeline scowled into her plate, lips pursed.

"Ted, what do you think? Forbidden love: worth it or not?" Lily asked, turning everyone's attention to him.

Ted's eyes went wide and he thought of Andromeda. He wouldn't call it  _ love,  _ but it was definitely forbidden, whatever they were. "I suppose it's alright," he said cautiously. 

James smiled, giving him an approving nod. "Good man." he said. "Forbidden love wins."

~

Some would say that Ted was too trusting, but there was no way that the person in front of him could possibly want to hurt him. He'd been picking herbs when he'd seen the woman. Just as he'd been taught, he pulled his dagger and kept his distance, but she raised her hands and did not make any sudden movements.

"I am selling apples." She'd explained. "Do you want any?"

"I'm afraid I've had too many run ins with the poison, ma'am. I'm sure you are perfectly trustworthy, but I cannot risk it." He explained.

She furrowed her brow and picked out an apple from her basket, showing it to him. It was perfectly red, not a single blemish on the surface. It looked completely unpoisoned, but Ted was still wary.

Finally, the woman had made a compromise. She'd taken a bite from the apple herself, raising her eyebrows at him. "See? No poison in this apple. Please, my children have no clothes. They will freeze if I do not sell enough apples."

Ted's heart softened and he lowered his knife. Besides, it wasn't as if the queen would go so far as to only poison half of the apple, just to be rid of him. And the woman didn't even look like the queen! Though Andromeda had said she was skilled with makeup...

No, it was fine. This woman was just trying to clothe her freezing children.

He exchanged a copper piece he'd found between the sofa cushions for the apple. The woman's face filled with joy as she accepted it, watching him take a large bite from the firm, crisp apple.

As soon as he swallowed, her face twisted and she hovered over him, watching with bated breath. "As soon as the apple touches your stomach, you are dead. This is the last time you thwart me, Ted Tonks."

Ted jolted as the piece of apple lodged in his throat, his breathing stopping all of a sudden. The woman cackled. "Can you feel the poison? Watching you finally die will be suck sweet pleasure!"

Ted gestured wildly, trying to tell her that the apple hadn't actually hit his stomach yet, he was dying from choking, not poison, but she just kept on laughing.

"Ted, we're back! What's for lunch?" In the distance, Ted saw the Order appear, making their way to him. 

The queen cursed, her eyes widening. With a  _ whoosh _ of her cloak, she ran into the thick woods and abandoned Ted, gasping on the ground, to choke to death.


	14. True Love’s CPR

Relief flooded Andromeda's body as the training master announced that today would be focused on archery. It meant she would be able to keep to herself and, hopefully, not manage to anger the training master again.

As she sent arrow after arrow sailing to the target, her mind wandered to the sign hanging by the entrance of the training fields, grabbing at her attention every time she walked past it.

_ A knight is honorable.  _

_ A knight is chivalrous. _

_ A knight serves his king above all. _

_ A knight is a brother to his fellow knights. _

At first, it had been a source of pride for her to be able to read the sign and know that it was for her, that those rules applied to her.

However, she'd come to realize that she didn't truly agree with the rules. Honorable, but to what extent? Would she kill an innocent person to preserve her own honor? Chivalry was a nice idea, but ladies could protect themselves. She served her king, but... did she? She'd lied to her father over and over, and she’d found she didn't really agree with any of his ideas. And Andromeda didn't want to be a brother to the other knights if the knights in question were like Yaxley and Malfoy, riding on the coattails of their fathers.

She remembered what Ted had told her.  _ Perhaps you are not made to be a knight. _

Perhaps she was not.

~

"Milord," she curtsied to her father, who was poring over some documents in the throne room. "I have an announcement for you and the Queen."

He didn't even look up from his documents. "The Queen is preoccupied at the moment. She will be available at dinner. You may make your announcement then."

It was a clear dismissal, but Andromeda stayed where she was. "This announcement is rather important, milord. I fear it cannot wait. I can fetch the Queen from wherever she is, if you wish."

The king finally looked up, annoyance coloring his face. "The Queen is away, Andromeda. Your announcement can wait. Stop bothering me."

Druella almost never left the castle, preferring to stay enclosed in its walls, where she had absolute power. "Away, milord? Where has she gone?"

He looked up once again, though this time there was a note of panic in his voice. "She is simply... away. It is unbecoming for you to meddle in her affairs in this manner. Leave at once."

Away... simply away...

Andromeda felt her heart fall as she realized where exactly her mother was. More specifically, who she was trying to kill. "I... my deepest apologies." she stuttered out, giving him a shaky curtsy before spinning out of the room, breaking into a run as soon as she was in the corridor.

_ Please, please don't let me be too late.  _ she prayed  _ Please, Ted. Just hold on. _

~

He was lying on the ground, face up with his lips parted slightly as if he was calling out to the sky. His hands were frozen at his neck, scrabbling at the air.

Slowly, Andromeda put the pieces together, her eyes falling on the apple with a bite missing, lying on the white ground next to him. The crowd gathered around him still hadn't noticed her, too focused on him. One of them, a muscle bound woman with a short bob of brown hair, was on her knees, cradling Ted's face in her hands.

Despite herself, Andromeda felt a spark of jealousy. She squashed it as she approached him, pushing past the group and crouching on the ground next to the muscled woman. The group startled, but they did not stop her.

Sometime during her panicked ride, it had started to snow. Now, the small flakes settled on Ted's skin, blending in with his cold skin.

"He's dead." One of them said, voice shaking with grief. Andromeda felt a stab of pain pierce her heart, and she shook her head rapidly.

"No." she whispered. "No, he's not." Her voice broke with desperation.

She ran her cold fingers over his face, taking one of Ted's hands in hers, searching him for any sign of life. His hands fell away from his neck, revealing an oddly shaped lump sticking out from his neck.

Andromeda glanced at the large bite missing from the apple, then at his throat. "He's not." she repeated. "Not yet."

Feeling determination surge through her, Andromeda recalled the first aid she'd learned the week before in knight training. She pressed her hands to her chest and pressed down sharply. She did it again, and again, and again, even as she felt his ribs bend under her hands.

Suddenly, he gasped, his eyes flying open. He rolled over, spitting out a chunk of apple as he coughed violently.

Andromeda cried out, tears pricking her eyes. She felt a wave of elation and relief wash over her.

He looked around groggily, his coughs slowly subsiding. "You saved me." he gasped. "You saved me."


	15. Happily Ever After

"She took a bite from the apple!" Ted protested, picking it off the ground to prove it. "See? How was I supposed to know that she only poisoned half of it? She said she needed the money for clothes for her children, and I felt bad for her!"

Lily didn't hit him, but her fist clenched at her side. "Ted, you're too kind." she sighed.

Andromeda tapped him lightly and held out her hand, looking at the apple. He handed it to her, watching as she sniffed it lightly, her nails digging into the flesh of the apple and picking at it. "Zortia." she concluded. "It's a poison that burns through the lining of your stomach." She furrowed her brow. "It's actually... good that it got stuck in your throat. The second it hits your stomach, you're dead."

"That's what she said." Ted agreed. "The Queen."

Andromeda nodded, turning and hurling the apple far away into the woods. She turned to the Order, her gaze travelling over the group. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of Sirius. Her mouth dropped open a little. "Sirius?" she asked, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"Andromeda!" Sirius walked forward and flung himself at Andromeda, knocking her back in a hug. "Oh, I knew you were good."

"How?" she asked. "You're missing—dead... last year, you..."

Sirius grinned, stepping backward and spreading his arm. "I ran away." he announced proudly.

Andromeda's jaw fell open once again, but the shock quickly faded from her face, making way for anger. "Ran  _ away?"  _ she shrieked. "I thought you were dead! You couldn't even leave a  _ note,  _ not a single warning?" She stepped forward, raising a threatening fist. "I cried for days, Sirius!"

Ted hurried forward and put a hand on Andromeda's arm, steering her away from Sirius. "Okay, okay." he coached. "Let's not do anything  _ rash." _

She relaxed a little, then tensed once more, shaking him off. "You knew!" She exclaimed, pushing away from him. "You knew he was alive!"

Ted raised his hands in surrender. "Yes, but—"

Andromeda, however, had turned back to Sirius. "And what have you been doing, mister 'I ran away?' Up to no good, I expect."

Ted saw James and Lily snicker, both of them watching Sirius with amused looks on their faces.

"Ah, Princess Andromeda—" Dumbledore started, stepping forward. "—we would love for you to continue shouting at Sirius, but do you mind if we take this inside before we are buried in snow?"

"Andromeda is fine." she replied instantly. "Inside? Inside where?"

~

Andromeda was led to the cottage and introduced to everyone as Ted made them tea, despite everyone's protests that he should be resting. 

"No, I almost die all the time," he insisted. "I'm used to it."

They all laughed, but Ted saw Andromeda purse her lips, looking up at the black patch in his hair.

Finally, they were sat around the table together as Dumbledore explained the story of the Order and how they'd taken Ted in. Andromeda nodded, staying silent through the entire story, letting Dumbledore ramble on about Ted's blueberry pie.

Andromeda, in return, explained how she'd decided to withdraw from the Knights of Black—Sirius had literally spit tea at this, and Andromeda had needed to back up and explain how she'd become a knight in the first place—then tried to find her mother. 

The cottage filled with the sound of the crackling fire as they digested this. Ted finally broke the silence, turning to Andromeda. "You know, Andromeda. You could always... run away, like Sirius. You could stay here, with m—us."

Andromeda's eyes brightened as he spoke and she set down her tea. "Really?" she asked, leaning forward.

Ted glanced at Dumbledore, who nodded their head slightly. "Really." he confirmed.

A smile broke across her face, and she stood suddenly. "I'm going back to the castle, to get my things. I'll be right back."

They followed her out into the snow, to where her horse was standing. However, instead of mounting her horse, she turned to Ted and stepped forward, bringing her lips to his and kissing him. Suddenly, even the snow and wind couldn't dispel the warmth spreading through Ted. Behind him, he heard a few whistles.

"I'll be right back." she promised, pulling away from him and climbing onto her horse, leaving him with his every nerve buzzing as she galloped away.

"Well, well, well." James chortled, clapping him on the back. "Looks like our Ted's got a forbidden love story of his own."

Ted ducked his head and pushed away from James. "Be quiet." he muttered, but he couldn't help the smile that was twitching up his lips.

And they all lived happily ever after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Andromeda shouting at Sirius has big ‘Hermione yelling at Ron after he comes back in DH’ vibes.


End file.
